Hank
Captain Dai O’Dell is accompanied most places by an elderly man who goes by the name of “Hank, just Hank”. When ID is required, the name is “Hank Smith”. He is listed as her First Mate. An age for this “Hank” is hard to determine. He is an old soldier -- wrinkled, scarred and burned. The most identifying scar travels down his left cheek, across his throat and dips down into his shirt on the right. He carries his right arm curled somewhat, and he walks carefully with a limp on the right, too. However, when challenged, much of this disability disappears and he handles himself quite well at hand-to-hand and is a quick-draw. Incidents do not last long enough for him to tire or for pain to disadvantage him. Skin is tanned and rough, making him look like many of the forcibly retired Independent dregs that eek out a living on the rim. He wears his stiff white hair in a cut popular with so many soldiers, but always looking like he is past time for a haircut. Clothing choice is a dusty, worn look that fades into the background amazingly well. This look of a “casual wreck” seems to be a cultivated personality. When he needs to follow O’Dell into more elegant places, he cleans up, his hair is slicked back, the arm is tucked and he assumes the look of well-paid security, though the limp is still present. Questioning him on his past is of no use. He is a man of very few words. When pressed, he points to another deep scar on his temple and knocks on the plate in his skull. Skills: Those of an old soldier. Quick-draw and dead-shot. Despite playing the “simple” game blaming his wounds, Smith appears to be training O’Dell. In a standard world, he would be the captain, and she his apprentice. However, there is something in the relationship that has this reversed even if she is learning her roll as they take cargo jobs. This may mean he has skills to fly, and keep the ship flying, but this is just speculation. Education: Does not appear to be any higher than middle-class outer-world general ed. He has some extra military knowledge but a number of soldiers that survived the Unification war picked up extra. He plays a mean game of chess and can cream most challengers. Allegiance: Appears to still be with the Independents based on where he spends his off time. However, he does not acknowledge old mates except as casual chums. Like O’Dell, he works to be more neutral than most. Personality: Hank Smith is controlled and quiet. Always suspicious, he relaxes with chess, or as many old soldiers do, a good bar fight. He checks off each box of a “normal old soldier” almost to the point of checking each box off consciously. Security note: He does carry a valid ID, of sorts. It is a rim replacement ID for disabled veterans, one that has no links to a pre-war life, and carries no pension. In other words, just a useless ID to allow him to perform day-to-day functions. He is more of a shadow than O’Dell, a war discard, but does not appear to be anyone worth tracking except in interaction with the girl. Category:Characters